An Analysis of the Studies on Protecting the Intangible Heritage of Iran (Example: Living Rural Heritage Eco-Museum of Gilan)

This paper deals with studies of popular culture and the process of the changes in approaches to the identification, knowledge enhancement, promotion, and innergeneration transfer of the intangible cultural heritage based on a review of the process of the development of the science of anthropology in Iran. The intangible cultural heritage, which is considered to be one of the precious cultural assets of world nations, , due to its flowing and border-free potential, can lead different societies towards agreement and convergence and herald sustained world peace. Hence, a correct knowledge of this heritage, introducing it to all nations, and increasing people’s understanding of this valuable asset could be a strong guarantee for safe-guarding it and transferring it from one generation to the next one. The study of this aspect of human heritage in the world is still in its infancy, and its scientific and systematic treatment started just after UNESCO’s 2003 Convention. However, it has attracted the attention of an increasing number of researchers in recent years. In this paper, through an investigation of anthropological studies in Iran (with the purpose of safeguarding it and changing its title in the cultural and historical literature) and while referring to the studies on the intangible cultural heritage in this country, the author aims to introduce the potentials and existing challenges in the domain of research on protecting this heritage and provide some practical solutions in this regard. She also tries to demonstrate that the forms of human culture and manifestations of its intangible heritage conform to the established creative standards of UNESCO’s “Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage” (2003) through referring to a number of successful and beneficial national and international examples and experiments in this field. In this way, she hopes to attract the increasing attention and cooperation of the different organizations and parties interested in this aspect of the living human heritage. At the end of this paper, the writer refers to the Eco-Museum of Gilan as an example of the most efficient endeavors at protecting the intangible cultural heritage in the Iran.